Toothbrush



April 13, 1965 B. CYZER 3,177,509

TOOTHBRUSH Filed March 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J1EE.

INVENTOR. EEA /VH/QO (YZEE Jar/M15405 595:1; 5219a 5.1km!

A ril 13, 1965 B. CYZER 3,177,509

Filed March 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I! l """I INVENTOR. Eff/V480 CYZZZQ3,177,509 TOUTHBRUSH Bernard Cyzer, Arnidar 10, Hadar Joseph,

' Tel Aviv, Israel Filed Mar. 5, 1964', Ser. No. 349,724 10 Claims. (Cl.1528) ing application Serial No. 137,169, filed September 11,

1961, now US. Patent No. 3,129,449.

The object of the invention is to provide a tooth brush of the aforesaidtype which provides increased efficiency of cleaning while being easy tomanufacture.

The tooth brush according to the present invention comprises a handleand an elongated bristle-carrying head forming an extension thereof. Thehead is constructed of an elongated top half-shell and a conjugatedelongated bottom half-shell assembledtogether along a longitudinalcommon surface of separation. The head contains at least one bristleassembly set, comprising a cooperatively associated central bristleassembly and a planetary bristle assembly; the latter being mounted forfree rotation'about the axis of the central bristle assembly. Thecentral bristle assembly is in turn mounted for rotation in the bottomhalf-shell on its own axis which is substantially at right angles to thecommon separation surface of the half-shells forming the tooth brushhead.

This particular structure provides for various relative movements of thebristle assemblies during use and, therefore, thorough cleaning in theinterstices between the teeth, as well as efficient massaging of thegums.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent in the course of the following description, wherein by way ofexample two embodiments have been described and shown in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross section of a first embodiment of a toothbrush according to the invention.

FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate the progressive steps of assemblying to thetooth brush shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the tooth brush of FIG. 1.

The tooth brush illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a handle 1 shown onlypartially and an elongated bristlecarrying head generally designated bythe reference numeral 2 and forming an extension of the handle 1.

The head 2 is formed of two elongated half-shells, namely a tophalf-shell 3 and a bottom half-shell 4 assembled together along alongitudinal common surface of separation 5.

The inner ends of the two half-shells are externally screw-threaded at5' and pressed together by their engagement in the correspondinginternally screw threaded end 5" of the handle 1. The outer end of oneof the half-shells, namely the bottom half-shell 4, is suitably set in aslanting recess 6 provided in the outer end of the other half-shell 3.

A set of two associated bristle assemblies generally designated by thereference numeral 9 comprises a socalled central bristle assembly 11 anda so-called planetary bristle assembly 12.

The planetary bristle assembly 12 is formed of a number of individualbristles 14 secured in a cup 15 of generally cylindrical shape. Cup 15is secured laterally to a substantially cylindrical bushing 16 mountedfor rotary United States Patent 0 movement in a bore 17 provided in thebottom halfshell 4 in a direction at right angles to the surface ofseparation 5. In the example, the cup 15 and the bushing 16 are castintegral as a single part and together form a sort of crank rotatablymounted in the bottom halfshell 4. The inner end of the bushing 16 isprovided with an annular retaining flange 19 adapted to bear against theedge of the bore 17 on the inner face of the bottom half-shell 4 so asto prevent said bushing from moving axially out of its seat.

The central bristle assembly 11 is formed of a number of individualbristles 22 anchored in a cylindrical cup 23, adapted to rotate freelyin the bore of the bushing 16. The outer face of the cup bottom 23 isconvex and adapted to bear against a corresponding mating portion of thetop half-shell 3 in order to position the bristle assembly 11 in axialdirection. The bottom of the cup 23 is, in turn, provided with an outerannular flange 23 adapted to bear against the inner end face of thebushing 16 in order to position said bristle assembly in axial directionand to prevent it from moving out of the bottom half-shell 4.

In the example represented, the bristle assemblies 11 and 12 are notonly capable of rotating on and about the axis 26 of the bore 17 in thebottom half-shell 4, but also of slightly oscillating in any directionabout said axis. For this purpose, sufi'icient play or clearance isprovided between the outer surface of the cup 23 and the bore of thebushing 16 and also between the outer surface of said bushing and thebore 17 in the bottom half-shell 4. If need be, some of the surfacesinvolved may be conical to a certain extent.

In use, when the user manipulates the tooth brush so that the ends ofthe bristles engage his teeth and gums, frictional forces created bysuch engagement cause the bristles to oscillate and to rotate. Thus, theaxis of the central bristle assembly 11 may oscillate laterally on anyside of the axis 26 of the bore 17 by an angle indicated a, with respectto its middle position wherein it is positioned at right angles withrespect to the general direction of the handle 1. In a similar manner,the planetary bristle assembly 12 may oscillate on any side by an angleindicated b, with respect to its middle position 27, also at rightangles with respect to the general direction of the handle 1.

Furthermore, according to the amplitude of the movement being impartedto the head of the tooth brush by the user and also according to thedirection of such movement, the planetary bristle assembly 12 may effectcomplete or partial circular movement about the central bristle assembly11. This is achieved by bushing 16 rotating in the bore 17 of the bottomhalf shell 4. In the embodiment illustrated, the central bristleassembly 11 is able to rotate on its axis 26 independently of themovement of rotation of the planetary bristle assembly.

The combined oscillatory and rotary movements of both bristle assembliesprovide for efiicient cleaning action in the narrow interstices betweenthe teeth and also efficient massaging of the gums.

In a modification, the cup 23 in which the bristles 22 are secured couldbe made fast or integral with the bushing 16 which carries the otherbristles 14.

The successive steps of assembling the tooth brush are illustrated inFIGS. 2 to 5. In a first step, the planetary bristle assembly 12 isplaced through the bore 17 of the bottom half-shell 4, with the bristles14 as shown in FIG. 2; in the second step, the bristle-carrying cup 15is brought to a slanting position as shown in FIG. 3; in a third step,the bushing 16 is located as shown in FIG. 4, and the central bristleassembly 11 with its cup 23 is then placed into the bore of the bushing16, from the inner end thereof;'-t-he bristles extend in the samegeneral' direction as the bristles 14 as shown'in FIG. 4. 'Fmal-ly thetop half-shell 3 is placed against the bottomrhalf-sh ell 4 as shown inFIG. 5 and'tlle handle 1 is screwthreaded about up the matingscrewlthreadecl endsrSf ot the halh. 5

shells; a

mit unobstructed. circular movement of "the planetary asv.

sembly 12 between the. central bristle assembly; 1'1: ,-andi V saidadditional bristle assembly 31.1

Y The additional bristle assembly 31isformedzwof ali 15 beriof"individual (bristles .32 anchored in a cup 33,=alsoj rotatably mountedinabore 214, of the; bottomlhalf-shell 4 and having a. convex bottomface, adapted to. bear against a corresponding. bearingpontion of thetop half-shell .This additional bristle. assembly 31"isalsoiabletorotateh:

on-its own axis ,35 and to.-.oscillate sli'ghtlyin any diff/C". 1

tion,. provided the cup 33 is mounted withsuflicient; I clearance in thebore 3,4-and/or the corresponding guiding surfaces of; these two partsare,slightlyqconicalb i v In the embodiments shown and described, proviion-is I made for single combination central and;planetary bristlfiassembly 9, but a'plurality of similar bristle assemblies mightbeaarranged; in any desired manner in the head of: the toothbrush.Furthermore, any number of additional bristle assemblies such as-31=maybe combined accordingh 'h of, wh r i t ei s f to any desired arrangementwith-the aforesaid combine tion central and planetary: bristleassemblyor assemblies;, As many changes, could be made in the aboveconstruction: and-many widely different embodiments of this inventioncouldbe made without departing from the spirit. 35

bristle; carrying head forming an; extensionithereof, said head beingformed of, an elongated fiOP h llf-SMH"flnda Q J' EHQdT IQM ha h em etog the o g; I a longitudinal m n su fac of separation, at least oneset' of twoassociated bristle assemblies, each comprisinga centralbristle assembly and'a planetary bristle assembly, m ue edtm e tat o bouthe ax s; c ai cen k bristle assembly, said central bristle assemblybeingmount-g edfor rotation in said bottom half-shell on-its; own axissubstantially atright-angles to said; surface-of separation: V

of said half-sheila: I I V V V r V ,2. The tooth brush of claim 1,wherein-said central bristle assembly andsaid planetary bristleassemblyqare mounted for free rotation abouttheaxis-of said-central"bristle assembly independent of each other,

' 3. The can baseman 1, vvlierein said central dependent of its saidrotary movement.

4. The tooth brush of'claim'l wherein said planetary bristle assembly ismountedjgr gscillatingmovement independent of its said rotary movement.

5. The. tooth brush of claim -1; wherein said planetary cylindricalbushing; the other end: of which, is provided with an outer retainingliangeQsaid bottom half-shell having abore with its axis at right"angles to said surface of p ra n, t idth: f said o ewbeing substantia yequalto-theouter diameter of said bushing,,said bushing, being atab vmeunted in aid bore wlthitslre a ninga fla i en gementi h t e inner Vice i s id: bo t m: h 7 sa d; q nt a r' st e as emh ybei s oun d axiallyins -id bush n 6. The tooth 'br ush of claim 5 whereiizi said centralbristle assembly comprisesacylindrical cup and a set. of

itsopen end, said vflange being inengagement with the inner end of saidbushing, and saidfrernote end of. said. cup being in.engagementwiththeinner face of said top;

half-shell.

somewhat greater in width than the dia rneterof said brushing in'ordertopermit oscillating movement of said bristle assemblies. 7 a a of theinnerclosed end of said cup is-convex.

- 9. The tooth rushlof claim 5 wherein the bristles pfn a P ne a b s eas emb wm ecu ed t .at a boss of said bushinghaving a width smaller;than the-bore in said bottom half-shell thereby permitt-ing saidrbossand saidbushingto be passed through said borefrom the inner "ofsaid-bottom half-shell.

10. to; ,th brush according to claim l, furlth er comprising at least;.one additional .;bris-t1e assembly mountedin said bottom half-shellbeside said c entr albr istleas semf bly at a distance therefromsufficiently great f or permitting unobstructed, rotary motion ofsaidlplanetary bristle assen t bl? fliermm mast-ms Cited ma mas UNITEDSTATES PATENTS;

CHARLES A; ma aiter.

bristle assembly is mounted for oscillating movernentin-v,bristle'assembl'yis securedec centrically torone end of abristleshaving one end thereof secured in said cup, said. 'cup havingaretaining outer flange at its end remote from.

. 7. The tooth. brushof claim 5, "wherein:saidtbore is

1. A TOOTH BRUSH COMPRISING A HANDLE AND AN ELONGATED BRISTLE CARRYINGHEAD FORMING AN EXTENSION THEREOF, SAID HEAD BEING FORMED OF ANELONGATED TOP HALF-SHELL AND A CONJUGATED BOTTOM HALF-SHELL ESSEMBLEDTOGETHER ALONG A LONGITUDINAL COMMON SURFACE OF SEPARATION, AT LEAST ONESET OF TWO ASSOCIATED BRISTLE ASSEMBLIES, EACH COMPRISING A CENTRALBRISTLE ASSEMBLY AND A PLANETARY BRISTLE ASSEMBLY MOUNTED FOR FREEROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID CENTRAL BRISTLE ASSEMBLY, SAID CENTRALBRISTLE ASSEMBLY BEING MOUNTED FOR ROTATION IN SAID BOTTOM HALF-SHEEL ONITS OWN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID SURFACE OF SEPARATIONOF SAID HALF-SHELLS.